Finally Complete All 40 Popper Etudes in 1 Year

(And Master Your Practice System Forever)

 
 

I was the only American invited to audition for Ensemble Intercontemporain during the pandemic—I mastered a 2-hour audition list in 4 months using the practice system fueled by collaborating with Richard Aaron on our Popper Etudes edition.

I'm teaching that system to 6 more advanced cellists.
The final 2025 cohort closes November 16, 2025.

THE STORY

In 2020, I received an opportunity that changed how I think about practice forever.

I was the only American invited to audition for the Grammy-winning Ensemble Intercontemporain—one of the most prestigious contemporary music ensembles in the world. The French government gave me special exemption to enter their borders during the pandemic.

The audition list? Two full hours of the most technically demanding repertoire imaginable. Bach Suite No. 6. Debussy Sonata. Dutilleux. The Berio Sequenza. Ligeti. Boulez. Music that takes most cellists months to prepare individually. Quarter tones, nested tuplets, unique notation systems.

I had 4 months to master all of it.

I didn't just practice more. I practiced differently than anyone else.

8 hours a day. Every day for 4 months. But not randomly. I’d already cracked the secret to how I work best.

No moments wasted, no willpower needed, and no “what do I do next?”

I walked into that audition room with total confidence. Not because I was the most talented. Because I had systematized my practice down to the minute.

No beta blockers. Zero performance anxiety. I knew exactly what I'd practiced, how I'd practiced it, and that I was ready — my only experience playing these notes (for the last 4 months) had been playing them calmly and perfectly.

In the end no one won the position, but I realized that it was time to share this way of practicing with advanced players.

THE METHOD

Four years earlier, Richard Aaron asked me to co-edit a new edition of the Popper etudes with him. We did 17 drafts to make an edition that would help students learn as quickly as possible.

That edition was, of course, used by all his students at the University of Michigan and at Juilliard starting in 2010.

Now I'm combining Richard's pedagogy with the practice experiments I developed for that audition.

The result: A 1-year course where you master all 40 Popper etudes—and more importantly, you master 40 different ways to practice so you never waste time again.

BEFORE VS. AFTER

WITHOUT A SYSTEM:

❌ Open the music, hope for the best
❌ “Practice” the same way every day
❌ Never sure if you're improving efficiently
❌ Practice is a test of your willpower
❌ Practice to the point of fatigue and hope you got it all done

WITH THIS SYSTEM:

✓ Test 40 different practice experiments
✓ Know exactly which methods work best for YOU
✓ Master all 40 Popper Etudes in 1 year
✓ Know down to the minute how long any practice session will take
✓ Never waste another minute in the practice room

“I’ve been using this in my practice for my cello teacher and I just learn it all so much faster.”
—High school student

HOW IT WORKS

This isn't about learning 40 etudes. It's about testing 40 different practice experiments and discovering your personal system.

Every 2 weeks, you master one etude using a new experiment:

Week 1: Watch instructional videos + test my experiment with a 60-minute fully-guided practice track
Week 2: Build to tempo with a 30-minute guided track. Done.
…
Week 5: Perform one of the unit’s 4 Etudes for me and your cohort — track which experiments work best for you.

After 1 year:

  • You've mastered all 40 Popper etudes

  • You've tested 40 different practice methods

  • You know YOUR system for life

Know down to the minute how long any practice session will take.

This is how I prepared for Ensemble Intercontemporain (and, as I learned in working with him on the Popper Edition, this is similar to how Richard Aaron, himself, prepares for concerts).

And now it's yours.

WHAT YOU GET

Videos

  • 40 Practice Experiments to Master Your Own System - ($4,000 value)

  • 100+ Extra Instructional Videos - Tips, tricks, analysis, and more ($5,000 value)

  • 40 Guided 60-Minute Practice Tracks - Test each experiment for a full etude ($4,000 value)

  • 40 Guided 30-Minute Practice Tracks - Build to tempo ($2,400 value)

Sheet Music

  • Print + PDF - The edition required at Juilliard starting in 2010 ($60 value)

  • Teacher's Guide - Use these methods with your own students ($250 value)

  • Supplemental Materials - Everything you need to succeed ($200 value)

Live Group Masterclasses

  • 10 Cohort Masterclasses - Perform every 5 weeks and get feedback ($1,500 value)

Learn from other serious cellists. Stay accountable. Track which experiments work best under pressure. Master your Performance Anxiety.

We'll find a time everyone can make. Occasionally I split cohorts into two groups, record both, and make recordings available to everyone.

Bonuses (Included Free)

  • 20-Unit Performance Anxiety Course ($2,000 value)

  • 24 months of Cellist Mastermind access ($2,376 value)

  • PPPP Certification + swag (priceless)

TOTAL VALUE: $21,761

YOUR INVESTMENT: $3,250 (or as low as $91/mo)

That's $18,511 in savings.

Earlybird special ends November 1 - regular price: $4,299

Want More??

I have up to 2 Premium Spots for each cohort.
Get weekly 30-minute one-on-one lessons for a total of $6,750 (as low as $187/mo).

Apply Now

“Just want to say… I consider this course so far to be some of the best money I've ever spent, it's had a huge impact on my practice and teaching, and I find I'm able to learn things much faster applying these methods. Thanks for all the work you're putting into this, and knowledge you're sharing with us.” 

— Conservatory-trained professional, Week 5

THE GUARANTEE

Complete all practice tracks for the first unit. Perform in the first masterclass.

If you're not already saving practice time, email me for a full refund.*

*Terms and conditions apply

Apply Now

[ONLY 4 SPOTS LEFT]

Payment options: Pay in full or finance from $91/month through Affirm (36-month term)

WHO THIS IS FOR

  • You've played 3+ concertos at an advanced level.

  • You can commit 90 minutes a day to mastering your practice forever.

  • You're ready to practice like professionals at the highest level.

Not for you if:

  • You can’t carve out 90 minutes daily for your goals

  • You want a quick fix instead of transformation

  • You're not willing to test new methods and track results

~25% of applicants have not been accepted in the past.
If you’re not ready yet, that’s ok!

WHO I AM

Eric Moore
Co-Editor of the Richard Aaron Edition | Creator of Cellosophy

I studied under Richard Aaron for 4 years at Cleveland Institute of Music and University of Michigan. Every week as a freshman and sophomore, all cellists in my class played a Popper etude a week for each other at 8:30am Saturday mornings. Fun!

After I graduated, Richard asked me to co-edit a new edition of the etudes specifically designed to help students learn faster. We went through 17 complete drafts over several years, resulting in an edition used by cellists all over the world.

My background:

  • Triple major from University of Michigan (Cello Performance, Theory, History), summa cum laude

  • Created Cellosophy, a comprehensive 9-volume cello method now used by teachers nationwide—structuring this from scratch informed how I packaged the Popper course

  • 15,000+ hours teaching using Cellosophy

  • 150+ masterclasses given

  • Students as young as 10 years old have mastered all 40 Popper etudes from memory

  • Only American invited to audition for Ensemble Intercontemporain

Bottom line:

Richard Aaron trusted me to codify his methods. I stress-tested my practice system against one of the hardest auditions on the planet. Now I'm teaching it to you.

PREVIOUS COHORTS HAVE INCLUDED

  • Advanced high school students perfecting technique before college auditions

  • Undergraduate cellists building a practice system for their entire career

  • Adult amateurs working to fit more efficient into their busy lives.

  • Graduate students preparing for major auditions with focused, efficient practice

  • Professional teachers learning the methods to teach their studio of 30+ students

  • University professors refining mastery and systematizing practice

WHAT STUDENTS SAY

“I’ve been using this in my practice for my cello teacher and I just learn it all so much faster.” —High school student

“Just want to say… I consider this course so far to be some of the best money I've ever spent, it's had a huge impact on my practice and teaching, and I find I'm able to learn things much faster applying these methods. Thanks for all the work you're putting into this, and knowledge you're sharing with us.” — Conservatory-trained professional, Week 5

“When you introduced [one of the practice techniques], I started teaching it to my own students and saw instant progress. I couldn’t believe it.” — An enrolled cello teacher, with the sentiment echoed by three other cello teachers.

“A lot of fun!” — A surprising number of these students, emailed to me out of the blue. I mean… it’s the Popper Etudes!

THE DETAILS

Who: Maximum 6 students per cohort

When: November 2025 (exact start date confirmed after enrollment closes)

First Masterclass: Jan 2025 (built-in extra week for holidays)

Time commitment: 90 minutes per day

Masterclasses: Every 5 weeks via Zoom

Holidays: Built-in breaks, first masterclass in early January

Application deadline: November 16, 2025

Earlybird pricing ends: November 9, 2025 at 23:59 Pacific Time.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What if I can't commit 90 minutes every day?
These etudes are the pinnacle for a reason—they're extremely difficult. Each cohort, I ask how the workload is and I always have students say that I’ve trimmed it down to the bare minimum and there isn’t a wasted second. You’ll need to be able to do 90 minutes a day just for this. If you can’t commit to that, you probably will not have the success you hope in this program.

That said, if you haven't cracked practice consistency with 1.5 hours yet (let alone the 8 hours a day I mentioned at the start)… this course might be exactly the rigor you need.

What if I need extra accountability?
Each cohort I offer up to 2 Premium Spots. I’ll work with you one-on-one 30 minutes a week on these etudes.

You won’t mess with my current technique, will you?
This course, believe it or not, is technique agnostic. I’ve done it all. Hyper pronate the right hand with an extra grip, neutral bowarm, bow from the bicep, bow from the back, finger vibrato, wrist vibrato, arm vibrato, lots of body movement, minimal body movement, long endpin at the front of the chair, long endpin against the back of the chair, short endpin, stahlhammer endpin, no endpin (baroque).

Very occasionally, I present a thought you might want to consider technique-wise, but it’s always framed around your current setup because I have tried all those techniques. Example: for this string crossing etude, if you subscribe to pronated right hand, you might want to observe X for the string crossings; if you subscribe to neutral right hand, you might want to observe Y.

This is a course about practicing and having strategies for every technical challenge you encounter. How you apply the practice strategies to your own playing I will leave up to you.

But please, will you mess with my current technique?
This is a course about practicing and having strategies for every technical challenge you encounter. How you apply the practice strategies to your own playing I will leave up to you.

That said, if you want my technical guidance, each cohort I offer up to 2 Premium Spots. I’ll work with you one-on-one 30 minutes a week on technique if you’d like.

What level do I need?
At minimum, you need to have played 3+ concertos at an advanced level. I understand that this course is aspirational but I want everyone to succeed and it’s possible that some applicants aren’t quite ready this cohort—I'll be honest with you if that's the case and you can re-apply for a later cohort.

What if something comes up and I miss a week?
After the first few weeks, experiments are stand-alone. Missing one etude for a planned event is fine—you can jump to the next one. The prep time for the masterclass also kind of doubles as catch-up.

Can I pay monthly?
Yes. From as little as $91/month through Affirm (36-month term, subject to approval - I don’t personally control it).

How do masterclasses work across time zones?
We find a time everyone can make. Occasionally I split the cohort into two groups, record both, and make them available to everyone… but you’ll always be able to participate one way or another.

What's the guarantee?
Complete both practice tracks every day for the first full unit, perform in the first masterclass. If you're not saving practice time yet, full refund. Terms and conditions apply.

When does it start?
Mid-November 2025. I build in holiday breaks and the first masterclass happens in early January.

APPLY NOW

Only 4 spots left.

Earlybird pricing ends November 9 at 23:59 Pacific Time.
Applications close November 16.

This is your chance to study Richard Aaron's methods with the person he chose to develop them.

$6,750 Premium Tier
$3,250 Regular Tier

Questions? Ask them on the application form.

I’ll respond within 24 hours and we can set up a quick call to double-check that this is a good fit for you.

ONE MORE THING

You can study Popper etudes anywhere. You can download other editions for free on IMSLP.

But this is the only place you can learn the practice system I developed, paired with insights gleaned from working with Richard Aaron as we developed the Popper Edition together—the same system I used to prepare for one of the most prestigious auditions in the world.

You're not joining a course. You're getting access to a method (and a community) that doesn't exist anywhere else.

The November cohort starts soon. If you're ready, apply now.